NORTH BAY -- North Bay City Council is giving the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario an almost $200,000 bailout.

Council unanimously voted Tuesday night at its meeting to help the Y cover its deficit, a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Y is such a valuable amenity when it comes to our economic growth, to take that amenity away from us with all the stuff the Y does for us, would have been disastrous,” said Coun. Bill Vrebosch, who voted in support of the motion.

The YMCA of Northeastern Ontario lost $3 million in revenue due to the pandemic.

A total of $173,000 is going to the Y to keep it afloat, while just more than $20,000 will be used to help with snow removal at the building this winter.

The request from the YMCA comes as it looks to raise $2 million to support both the North Bay and Sudbury facilities through the 'My Y Is Resilient' campaign to keep programs and activities running.

The city owns the aquatic centre, while the YMCA owns the health, fitness and childcare portions of the building. The city also owns the land where the North Bay YMCA is located.

“I voted to support this because they never asked for money before,” said Vrebosch. “This is a one-year ask and the money they’re raising right now will go ahead to finance them for the next couple of years."